Magnetic coin detector mechanism



Sept. 12, 1933.

P. s. HARPER MAGNETIC CC )IN DETECTOR MECHANISM Filed Dec. 22, 1951Patented Sept. 12, 1 933 UNITED STATES PATENT o Frcs 1,926,482 MAGNETICCOIN DETECTOR MECHANISM Percy Stephen Harper, Groydon, EnglandApplication December 22, 1931, Serial No. 582,583," and in Great BritainDecember 4, 1931 1 Claim. (Cl. 194101) g The object of the presentinvention is to employ magnetic means to detect all spurious coins anddiscs, and not merely to separate out iron, steel, nickel or otherhighly magnetic'materials.

According to the invention, a magnetic field is arranged across a coinrunway and operates by its effect on the velocity of the rolling coinsor discs, and thus is adapted'to vary'the trajectory of the latter asthey are discharged from the runway, in accordance with-the materialacted upon. By this method the properties of, say a silver coin,sul'fice to give it a shorter trajectory than, say, that of a brass discor token, and thus they can be selectively diverted to appropriatechutes or receptacles. L Various nonmagnetic materials, when movingthrough a magnetic field, are ofiered moreor less resistance to theirpassage, according to their. material, and this property is employed forthe purpose of the invention. .For examplesomecoins or discs may beretarded in their passage through the runway to drop into a firstreceptacle, silver coins retarded not so much to'fall into a second oroperative receptacle, and brass discs will shoot out with a flattertrajectory to, fall into a third receptacle.

The method, according to the invention, may be carried out in avarietyof ways, of which some will now be described in greater detailwiththe aid of the accompanying drawing, wherein:-

Figure 1 is an elevation (partly insection) of one form of theinvention;

Figure 2 is a section on A-A of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a perspective view of one of the magnets employed;

Figure 4 is a view of a modified form of coin chute; and V Figure 5 is asection on B-B of Figure 4.

In one embodiment referring to Figures 1, 2 and 3, a brass groovedrunway 1 is slightly inclined and provided with any suitable number ofmagnets 2, preferably horse-shoe shape with the ends of the poles 3turned at right-angles to take into holes in the side or sides of therunway, the ends being exposed to the coins path. The magnets 2 arepreferably in pairs, one on each side of the runway, with unlike polesopposed, or as in Figures 4 and 5 the magnet 2 one side of the runway orcoin path 1 and highly magnetic material 4 at the opposite side of therunway or coin path such as steel, iron, etc., so that a magnetic fieldis created across the coin path. Adjacent magnets along the runway mayeither have unlike poles next to one another or like poles. Forthislatter purpose a staggered arrangement may be adopted as shown inFigure l, i. e., two opposite magnets projecting-upwardly and thenturned into the runway by their ends -3, then two oppositemagnetsprojecting downwardly and then turned into the runway, and

so on.

It. has been found that six or more pairs of magnets 2 arranged in thestaggered disposition, and extending over six or seven inches of thelength of the 'runwayl, prove efiective on a chute sloping about 5degrees or more, but these numbers, arrangements and and variable.

dimensions are optional In a variation not illustrated an elongatedsolmagnets, may

be used.

of the coins.

In the example illustrated three receptacles 5 are shown, of which theoutside two may lead to a coin returned cup outside the machine, whilstI the central one (positioned to receive correct silver coins, formechanism of Iron or other discs of highly magnetic example) leads to alock-release any suitabletype.

material id magnet at each side, or a seriesof smaller solid are stoppedand rejected by known mechanism prior tolreaching the device hereindescribed otherwise they wouldprobably be magnetically retained in therunway l, blocking the same.

I claim:-

Means for the separation of coins or disks having different magneticproperties comprising'an inclined chute down which the coins or disksmay be rolled, and a pair of permanent horseshoe magnets disposed oneentirely to each side of the chute and in alined relationshiptransversely of the chute, the negative pole of each magnet being alinedtransversely of the chute with the positive pole of the other magnet,whereby magnetic fields are established across the path of movement ofthe coins or disks rolling through the chute, said magnets having legsand terminal pole pieces right angles to 1 the legs so that i when themagnets are operatively positioned relative to the chute the legs of themagnets are disposed in planes parallel to' the sides of the extendingat chute.

PERCY STEPHEN HARPER.

